Archaon Painted. Level 3
Who is Archaon the Everchosen?
Archaon is the shadow of Chaos that falls over the Mortal Realms and his name is spoken only in trembling whispers among warlords and kings, for he is the greatest champion of the Dark Gods. He is known as the Grand Marshal of the Apocalypse, the Chosen One, the Doom of All, the Three-Eyed King, the Blade of the World, or the Thirsty Predator.
He is the embodied will of the Chaos Gods, and the lord of every mortal and demonic Chaos warrior that marches into battle across the mortal realms. At the Everchosen’s side march his chosen ones into battle.
What is the story of Archaon the Everchosen and why do we love painting him?
Among the Champions of Chaos, Archaon is unique. He is the Exalted Grand Marshal of the Apocalypse, the pantheon’s favourite, and under his command the Mortal Realms are remade in the image of Chaos. Behind him, the armies of the Ruinous Powers march as one, forged into a single terrifying force by the will of the Chosen.
Every Chaos worshipper or beast that walks, glides or trots owes reverence to Archaon. He is less a man than a demigod of the Dark Powers, the chosen commander of their infernal hosts. Yet Everchosen is no mere puppet. He has earned his position through power, cunning and sheer determination that has seen the ruin of entire worlds. If the Chaos Gods ever manage to conquer the Mortal Realms, it will almost certainly be due in large part to Archaon.
Archaon’s origins are shrouded in mystery. Few souls know the truth of his past. In the time of the world that was, Archaon bore a different name and fought as a devout templar of Sigmar. Reading the apocalyptic writings of the prophet Necrodomo, he learned a terrible truth about the divinity of the Heldenhammer that shattered all his certainties. Taking the name Archaon, he vowed to attain the mantle of Everchosen and take vengeance on his former lord. However, other stories about Archaon have been spread throughout the kingdoms. Some believe he was a great Azyrite emperor who ruled before the coming of Sigmar, and who swore to Chaos to equal the power of the upstart God-King. Many tribes believe that Archaon is simply a manifestation of the Dark Powers, that when Chaos arose, so did its greatest champion. The tribes of the Untamed Beasts honour him as the Devourer of Worlds, while the grim Corvus Cabal see him as an avatar of their avaricious demon-god, the Great Gatherer.
Archaon’s all-powerful status is demonstrated through his bearing of the legendary artefacts known as the Six Treasures of Chaos. These are not mere trinkets; each is an ancient item imbued with terrible power, and this marks his status as Everchosen. Upon Archaon’s brow burns the Mark of Chaos Ascendant, the rarest of sigils denoting the favour of all the gods. Within a groove in the Crown of Domination lies the Eye of Sheerian, plucked from the belly of the Chaos Dragon known as Flamefang and granting the Everchosen a degree of foresight, a fact that, combined with Archaon’s tactical brilliance, makes him almost impossible to overcome in battle. The Armour of Morkar is almost impervious to blows, and was once worn by the first to wear the mantle of Everchosen in the depths of prehistory. Perhaps the most infamous of these artefacts is the Slayer of Kings. Within this legendary blade lies the essence of the demon U’zuhl, who delights, and excels, in devouring the souls of monarchs and champions.
Though he wages their wars and leads their armies, the Chaos Gods regard Archaon with some trepidation, perhaps even fear. They are right to do so. Each of the Brothers in Darkness has tried to coax the Chosen into his exclusive service, and each has failed, the mightiest of his servants slain by Archaon or torn apart by his monstrous mount, Dorghar. Within the abyssal reaches of his soul, there is a part of Archaon, or perhaps the man he once might have been, that regards the machinations of all deities, be they one of Sigmar’s failed pantheons or his own supposed masters, with contempt … . Many of those sworn to Chaos bear the mark of Everchosen above any part of the dark pantheon. There are those who whisper that if Archaon ever achieves his ultimate goal of crushing the Mortal Realms beneath his heel, there will be no gods to play with mortal lives, nothing but the black banners of the Everchosen raised across the length and breadth of every realm.
Archaon: Description and Equipment
Cloaked in the gifts of the Dark Gods, Archaon wears the Armour of Morkar and bears numerous inscribed Chaos markings, as well as runes of protection and malice. His shield bears the symbols of the Dark Gods and in his right hand he holds the legendary demonic sword Kingslayer. He also bears the Sheerian Eye and the Crown of Domination.
His massive winged mount Dorghar has undergone countless hideous mutations while consuming the souls of the foes Archaon has vanquished: great wings, three demonic heads, twin tails, and the faces of the unfortunate Storm Eternals whose souls he has consumed, writhing in his skin. Each of Dorghar’s demonic heads has its own name and characteristics:
Filthspitter: Dorghar’s Nurgle head spews vomit inflicting damage to nearby enemies.
Skull Eater: Dorghar’s Khorne’s head devours the skulls of enemies, healing Archaon’s wounds in the process.
Spell Eater: Upon defeating a magic practitioner, Dorghar’s Tzeentch head devours them, learning any spells they know and teaching them to Archaon.